Engineering Nano Characterization Center (ENCC)

The defining purpose of the center is to teach and engage in research for materials characterization, wave mechanics, and nondestructive evaluation with an emphasis on nanotechnology. The Center includes the following labs/facilities:

Acoustic Microscopy Lab

acoustic microscopy lab

The Acoustic Microscopy Lab houses three acoustic microscopes for teaching and research:

  1. The Ultran System for acoustic microscopy of large samples and low resolution (100 micron and up),
  2. The Olympus UH-3 System for acoustic microscopy of small samples and high resolution (1 micron and up)
  3. The Ultrasonic Atomic Force Microscope U-AFM for acoustic microscopy of small samples and super resolution (10 nanometers and up).

These instruments are being used to investigate thin films, coatings, bio-cells, and semiconductors.

Acousto-Optics Laboratory

The Acousto-Optics Lab features the Microscopic Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometer (MESPI) for measuring holographically the dynamic surface deformation (0.1 micron resolution) in-situ. For example, during laser drilling and cutting surface deformation results from thermal stress. Another feature instrument is a system for the detection of cracks in locomotive wheel tires with the use of electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs).


Nondestructive Evaluation Teaching Lab

The Nondestructive Evaluation Teaching Lab features an X-ray instrument and an acoustic emission system. These instruments are part of the lab hands-on demonstrations for the EMch/MatSci 440 course: Survey of NDE Techniques.

Click here for Research Activities for the Engineering Nano Characterization Center (ENCC)